Five Questions You Must Answer Before Writing Your Next Song

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter Many of you know that I often compare writing a song with going for a walk. Songs are like journeys, and we take listeners on that journey with us. But without a plan, that journey can leave the listener feeling confused and […]

Songwriting Collaborations Are Usually Win-Win, and Worth a Try

Written by Gary Ewer, Senior Instructor, Dalhousie University, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. • Follow Gary on Twitter • Good songs sell! Check out “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle – available now at a 50% savings! ________________________________ It’s not common to find songwriters who excel in all facets of music creation. The best songs […]

Want to Write a Great Melody? Draw a Picture

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter If you want to write a killer song, it’s got to be something that people will remember easily, and one that they’ll walk down the street humming. That means it needs an interesting shape. One way to do that is […]

The Tonic Note – Be Careful How You Use It

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter The tonic note is the key note of your song. If your song is in Am, the note A is the tonic note. And it has a lot of power. But the more you use it, the less influential it is. […]

"You Belong With Me" Demonstrates Solid Songwriting Skill

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter Probably the most clever aspect of Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” is the melodic construction. Beautifully contoured, it’s what really makes the song work. It even displays writing technique usually reserved for more high-brow compositions, including melodic inversion. Here’s […]

The Many Ways to Start the Songwriting Process

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter Even the most prolific songwriters get that writer’s block feeling… staring at a blank page, with nothing coming to mind. Writer’s block will happen more to songwriters who use the same songwriting formula, song after song. You will become much more […]